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267
Smoke Nuisances.
During the year the shafts throughout the district have been
under careful observation, and in only two instances nuisances were
detected. In these cases intimations and statutory notices have been
served, which has had the desired effect of abating the nuisances. No
recurrence of the nuisances took place, and therefore there was no
neoessity to institute legal proceedings.
Unsound Food, Shops and Stalls.
The shops and stalls in the district have been frequently inspected
in respect of unsound and unwholesome food, and during the past year
there was no occasion to seize any article exposed for sale.
During the year I have on several occasions, upon application made
by tradesmen, examined articles of food purchased by them at the markets,
and when found "unsound, unwholesome and unfit for food," witnessed
the same destroyed by the owners and certificates were given to that
effect.
Unsound Food—Legal Proceedings.
On the 2nd June, at the request of an itinerant vendor, I examined
5 boxes of kippers which had been purchased from Billingsgate Market
the same day and found them unfit for human food. A note was given to
the purchaser to take to the wholesale vendors to that effect, who refused
to refund the purchase money.
In consequence I seized the said kippers and had them taken to the
Thames Police Court and condemned by the presiding Magistrate. Two
summonses were applied for against the vendors. At the hearing of the
summonses, which took place on the 1st July at the Mansion House
Police Court, it was contended, on behalf of the Council, that the kippers
which were bought at 11 a.m. and attempted to be sold at mid-day in
Poplar the same day must have been unfit for food at the time of the
purchase—9d. for 30 pairs—and that the vendors must have known from
the price that they were not sound.
On behalf of the vendors it was pleaded that the weather was very
hot and the kippers were sound and wholesome at the time of sale.
The presiding Magistrate gave the defendants, a Limited Company,
and the defendants' manager the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the
summonses, with no costs against the Council.